Camouflage system

ABSTRACT

The present invention comprises an improved camouflage system to be used for clothing generally employed by hunters, photographers and the like for the purpose of visual concealment in natural environments. An open, interlaced fabric substrate is employed as part of a garment to be worn by the user. A plurality of preconfigured camouflage elements are coupled to the fabric substrate. Each camouflage element comprises an elongated central mesh element, each end thereof depending into panels having multiple lobes to simulate leaves or other natural flora. The camouflage elements are dyed or otherwise colored with contrasting indicia in a manner consistent with a selected natural environment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to camouflage clothing used for avoiding visual detection in natural environments, and more particularly to camouflage garments fabricated with individual panels adapted to permit a user to visually blend into the natural environment.

2. Prior Art

The use of manufactured camouflaged garments by hunters, photographers, soldiers and the like is disclosed in the prior art. Typically, camouflage material is used to produce a visually disruptive pattern and cause an individual to appear to become visually part of the adjacent natural environment and thereby avoid visual detection. Typically, the color and texture of camouflage garments permit the user to blend into the terrain and indigenous natural flora of a given geographical location.

A typical camouflage system disclosed by the prior art employs a net substrate on which is attached an overlay sheet material exhibiting a predetermined camouflage design. The attached sheet material is cut to form irregular edges, the shapes of which are purported to simulate patterns of vegetation and/or selected terrain. The problem with this camouflage system is inherent in the inflexibility of the construction to its inability to adapt to varied environments.

Where the camouflage elements of prior art garments are produced through the use of alterations to attached sheet material, the variations which can be produced are limited. The prior art generally affixes the sheet material to the net substrate in a uniform manner. This substantially limits the manner in which the camouflage system can be produced and, most importantly, the variety of natural environments in which they are able to simulate.

Another camouflage system disclosed by the prior art affixes camouflaging material in the form of burlap strips directly to the exterior of a garment. The burlap strips are dyed to colors which are intended to produce various shades of woodland colors producing a stringy, fuzzy appearance resembling naturally occurring moss. The inadequacies with this camouflage system is inherent in the inability to create visually diverse textures or images. The use of burlap strips provides a substantially uniform appearance and, even if provided with varied colorations, the natural environments in which they can be effectively used will be limited.

The present invention substantially resolves the problems inherent in those camouflage systems taught by the prior art. Garments in the form of jackets, hoods, trousers and the like are adapted to incorporate the present invention improved camouflage system along the exterior surface thereof. The present invention comprises an open loop fabric base substrate preferably in the form of interlaced matrix or netting. A plurality of camouflage elements are used to implement objectives of the present invention. Each camouflage element comprises a central, elongated, planar mesh segment, each end thereof forming a pattern of lobes which simulates the specific natural environment which the camouflage element is to simulate. These would include leaves, tree branches or other similar naturally occurring structures. Each camouflage element is colored in a manner which directly relates to the environment where it is intended to be used. A plurality of camouflage elements are selectively coupled to strands of the interlaced netting to create a three-dimensional appearance which will cause the camouflage garment to blend into the natural environment for which it has been adapted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises an improved camouflage system to be incorporated into garments typically used by hunters, photographers, and the like for creating a visual impression which blends into the terrain and flora of natural environments. The present invention comprises a substrate of an open loop matrix of interlaced fabric typically fabricated from uniformly interlaced netting to which camouflage elements are coupled. The camouflage elements each comprise a planar mesh layer having a substantially uniform central, elongated section, the axial ends thereof being extended into end segments which are used to depict leaves or other natural flora. The camouflage elements are dyed or otherwise colored in a manner which will depict the colors of a selected natural environment. To improve the ability to blend into the appearance of the selected natural environment, shaded indicia may also be imprinted or otherwise disposed upon the mesh of the camouflage element to depict structural elements of the natural environment such as branches or twigs of bushes and trees.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved camouflage system.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved camouflage system which employs camouflage elements which are preconfigured to visually simulate a natural environment.

It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved camouflage system which employs camouflage elements which can be coupled to an underlying substrate to provide a three-dimensional depiction of environmental features.

It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved camouflage system which is simple and inexpensive to fabricate.

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objectives and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing in which a presently preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration and description only, and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a partial view of a jacket and hood employing the present invention camouflage system.

FIGS. 2 a and 2 b illustrate forms of the camouflage elements used in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of interlaced netting and coupled camouflage elements in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the interlaced netting and coupled camouflage elements shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a partial view of a camouflage element illustrating imprinted indicia.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An understanding of the present invention can be best gained by reference to FIG. 1 which illustrates a partial view of a jacket and hood 10 employing the present invention camouflage system. It is understood the present invention camouflage system can be employed on any type of garment or fabric which is to be used for visual concealment in natural environments. The garment 10 is made up of a jacket 11 and hood 12 to be worn by the user. Garment 10 will be used to produce a pattern which would be visually disruptive to a viewer and cause the user to become a visual part of and appear to blend in with the natural environment. To accomplish this objective, garment 10 has incorporated on the outer surface 13 thereof a camouflage system which is generally designated by the reference numeral 14.

Camouflage system 14 can be best seen by reference to FIGS. 2 a, 2 b, 3-5, inclusive. Camouflage system 14 employs a substrate 20 which comprises an open fabric base preferably in the form of interlaced netting. Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes interlaced netting to implement substrate 20, it is understood that other conventional mesh or open fabrics can be used in lieu thereof.

It is understood that the color and texture of the camouflage garment permit the user to visually blend into the terrain and indigenous natural flora of a given geographical location and thereby be visually concealed. This objective is achieved through the structure of camouflage elements 25 a and 25 b which are illustrated in FIGS. 2 a and 2 b, respectively. Camouflage elements 25 a and 25 b each consist of a mesh substrate 26 a and 26 b respectively which are formed to depict elements of indigenous natural flora. In FIG. 2 a, an elongated central segment 27 a is axially extended at either end thereof into multi-lobed segments 28 a which generally depict or simulate the appearance of leaves from indigenous bushes, flowers or trees. As shown in FIG. 2 a, lobes 29 a which are part of opposed segments 28 a are in an opposed relationship to each other. In the form of the camouflage element 25 b shown in FIG. 2 b, lobe segments 28 b axially extend outwardly from central segment 27 b and employ lobes 29 b which are oriented toward each other.

It is an objective of the present invention to produce an improved camouflage system which exhibits coloration, texture and otherwise depicts the flora and background of the specific natural environment in which the present invention is to be employed. To accomplish this objective, depending on the environment where the present invention is being used, camouflage elements 25 a and 25 b are typically manufactured or dyed in a mixture of shades of brown, tan and/or green. As shown in FIG. 5, printed indicia 30 are disposed upon the surface 31 of a camouflage element 32. Depending upon the environment in which the present invention is used, the indicia 30 will provide the illusion of structural elements in the environment such as tree branches or twigs.

The composite structure of the present invention can be best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. Camouflage elements 25 a and 25 b are coupled to interlaced netting 14 at central segments 27 a and 27 b, respectively. The camouflage elements 25 a and 25 b may be coupled to net substrate 14 in any conventional manner including but not limited to staples, glue or by knotting. It is understood the number of camouflage elements 25 a and 25 b which are coupled to netting 14 and the placement thereof are sufficient to provide a three-dimensional image that visually blends into the specific environment where the present invention is employed. When camouflage elements 25 a and 25 b are coupled to net substrate 14, the structural rigidity of the mesh substrate will cause the camouflage elements 25 a and 25 b to be viewed in three dimensions. In addition, the camouflage elements 25 a and 25 b can be placed along net substrate 14 in a manner which will enhance the concealing qualities of the camouflage system in a manner which can be adjusted or changed in accordance with the natural environment in which the camouflage system is being used. 

1. An improved camouflage system for use in natural environments comprising: (a) an interlaced matrix of closed loop members; and (b) a plurality of camouflage elements coupled to one of said closed loop members, each of said camouflage elements comprising a substantially uniform, elongated central segment having first and second axially opposed ends, said first and second ends extending into first and second simulation segments respectively, each of said first and second simulation segments including aligned lobes disposed on opposite sides of the axis of said central segment, the alignment of the lobes of said first and second simulation segments being opposed to one another.
 2. An improved camouflage system as defined in claim 1 including a garment having an outer surface, said interlaced matrix being coupled to the outer surface of said garment.
 3. An improved camouflage system as defined in claim 1 wherein said interlaced matrix is netting.
 4. An improved camouflage system as defined in claim 1 including contrasting visual indicia disposed upon each of said camouflage elements whereby said camouflage elements simulate the natural environment.
 5. An improved camouflage system as defined in claim 1 wherein the lobes of said simulation segments are aligned in opposition to one another.
 6. An improved camouflage system as defined in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said camouflage elements coupled to said interlaced matrix of closed loop members is of substantially three-dimensional character.
 7. An improved camouflage system for use in natural environments comprising: (a) a substrate of open loop netting; (b) a plurality of first camouflage elements coupled to said netting, each of said camouflage elements comprising a substantially uniform, elongated central segment having first and second axially opposed ends, said first and second ends extending into first and second simulation segments respectively, each of said first and second simulation segments including aligned lobes disposed on opposite sides of the axis of said central segment, the lobes of said first simulation segment being in aligned opposition with the lobes of said second simulation segment; (c) a plurality of second camouflage elements coupled to said netting, each of said camouflage elements comprising a substantially uniform, elongated central segment having first and second axially opposed ends, said first and second ends extending into first and second simulation segments respectively, each of said first and second simulation segments including aligned lobes disposed on opposite sides of the axis of said central segment, the lobes of said first simulation segment being aligned facing the lobes of said second simulation segment.
 8. An improved camouflage system as defined in claim 6 including a garment having an outer surface, said netting being secured to the outer surface of said garment.
 9. An improved camouflage system as defined in claim 6 including contrasting visual indicia disposed upon each of said camouflage elements whereby said camouflage elements simulate the natural environment.
 10. An improved camouflage system as defined in claim 7 wherein at least a portion of said camouflage elements coupled to said interlaced matrix of closed loop members is of substantially three-dimensional character.
 11. An improved camouflage system for use in natural environments comprising: (a) a garment having an outer surface; (b) a substrate of open loop netting; (c) a plurality of first camouflage elements coupled to said netting, each of said camouflage elements comprising a substantially uniform, elongated central segment having first and second axially opposed ends, said first and second ends extending into first and second simulation segments respectively, each of said first and second simulation segments including aligned lobes disposed on opposite sides of the axis of said central segment, the lobes of said first simulation segment being in aligned opposition with the lobes of said second simulation segment; (d) a plurality of second camouflage elements coupled to said netting, each of said camouflage elements comprising a substantially uniform, elongated central segment having first and second axially opposed ends, said first and second ends extending into first and second simulation segments respectively, each of said first and second simulation segments including aligned lobes disposed on opposite sides of the axis of said central segment, the lobes of said first simulation segment being aligned facing the lobes of said second simulation segment; and (e) visual indicia imposed upon each of said camouflage elements whereby said camouflage elements simulate the natural environment.
 12. An improved camouflage system as defined in claim 8 wherein at least a portion of said first and second camouflage elements coupled to the netting is of substantially three-dimensional character. 